Time On Our Side
by Zen Monk
Summary: Post Dirge of Cerberus, October 13th, months after Omega. Vincent is rejuvenated, in mind and body, and has found himself celebrating his birthday. Seventh Heaven is a timeless place for time displaced individuals. They talk of time and how much they've lost and gained. World-building. Not totally romantic. They're all consenting adults here. Light Vinti, implied OT3.


Vincent got the call at around 7 pm, a time when the sun started to go down a little sooner, and the sky started to turn just a little darker, and a time when people started packing up from the office and return home on whatever commute they were on. He got the call after he crossed the threshold from the WRO headquarters in Edge, after having a casual meeting with Reeve, and with the offer of a steady job fresh on his mind.

The usefulness of a cell phone is great indeed, especially when it is still easy to recall Morse code and how to set up an impromptu radio call from his memory.

He thought it would be from Yuffie, who as of today would have sent her tenth text message and her third email about her preoccupation in Wutai. He was pleasantly surprised to have it be from Seventh Heaven, which he had considered going later after he found an inn to stay in for the night.

Pleasantries were exchanged and finally the meat of the call was reached.

"Are you available to come to the bar now?"

Vincent said, "Hmm," for a moment and considered, people still walking past him from the building and giving him lingering stares over his heavy cloak and gleaming claw. He doubt that any WRO operatives can ever over the fact that he was pivotal in the dismantling of Deepground and had slain a whole WEAPON in the sky.

"I've got time," he said at last. Time is back on my side, he nearly said out loud. "Though I have to wonder how you knew that I was in the city."

Tifa made a small laugh on the other end and he could hear a smile in that voice, that warmed and endeared him.

"If you come over, then I'll tell you."

She then said that Cloud would be around the city delivering some final packages and he offered to give him a ride to the bar. Slightly bemused that even Cloud felt the need to be involved piqued his interest and he assured her that he would call him after they finished talking.

It was a quarter to 8 when they arrive at the bar, the interior lights presenting a warm glow upon the dark alleyway. Cloud dropped him off by the front door and gave him the go-ahead to enter first as he rolled his motorcycle into the ally next to the building. Vincent tried peering through the windows, and through the panes and between the painted letters he saw that most of the bar is devoid of people. Tifa walked back and forth between the kitchen and the bar. He could see the children Marlene and Denzel going up and down the stairs with unidentifiable things in their hands, and at the corner he could make out Shelke sitting in a booth, but doing what he was uncertain.

He leaned back from looking and examined around the door of the building. There was a "Closed" sign propped up against the window next to the door, as well as the hours painted on the window pane above it. He placed his hand on the door-handle, considered for a moment, and finally pushed it open with a tinkle of the bell above it.

Tifa looked up immediately and gave a broad smile.

"Hey there, Vincent! Took you long enough."

He shrugged and said, "Am I considered fashionably late?"

The children, including Shelke, all stopped their activity and looked at him with wide eyes. Their expressions created a sense of alarm within him, not unlike dropping in on an activity that he wasn't meant to see, and suddenly they all rushed towards him, with Shelke somehow appearing at his blind spot on the right.

"Wait-wait-wait, can you look away for a second!" said Denzel urgently.

He opened his mouth to, perhaps, agree, when Marlene then interjected, "And no peeking!"

Shelke then grabbed his right arm and led him away from the bar to the left.

"Please come this way."

He looked behind him at Tifa, who then raised her hand and called out, "Hey wait a moment, every-"

And he then found himself facing a small dark room cramped with shelves with cleaning bottles, a broom, and a bucket for company.

The door closed behind him and Shelke's muffled voice said behind him, "Please wait here for a moment until we are ready to present ourselves."

Vincent stared dumbly in the darkness before him, feeling incredibly confused and also stunned at how quickly he had been accosted.

Various footsteps quickly walked away from the broom closet, and he could hear another set coming his way as well as Tifa saying, "Come on, kids, that's no way to treat a guest."

The door opened behind him and light filled the dismal setting.

"Sorry about that, Vincent. I think everybody here is just a little bit excited."

He turned around to face her and said dumbly, "I've been kidnapped by children."

She covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, which did little to assuage his pride, and said, "Then I think they've learned from Shelke. She has… a way with organizing them to do something."

Vincent snorted quietly through his nose. "I see that she has been using her previous training for good."

Tifa stepped aside for him, and he then took the opportunity to scan the room. The entire place looked clean and gleaming under the low-hanging lights. There were new pictures on the wall of various locations, no doubt taken by Cloud on his delivery travels, and in the corners of the room were potted plants in pottery he could identify as being from Costa del Sol. The radio sitting in the shelf above above the drinks was playing soft music, which crackled in and out of its frequency. He could see among the various barware on the counter behind the bar lay a sizable plate with a metal cover over it. In a booth near the stairway, he could see some wrapped packages tied in string. Denzel and Marlene appeared to be out of sight, though Shelke wandered about the room looking at things to straighten or clean.

"So what is this now?"

Tifa made a quick sigh and held her arms behind her back. "Well, Vincent we have it on good authority that today is a significant day for you."

He quickly tried to remember what date today was and thought of whatever associations he had with it.

"…Today is a Saturday."

"Right."

"…I do like weekends."

Tifa breathed out a laugh and said, "Try again."

"…It's a week after Harvest time. I'm assuming there is a feast, or rather, a leftover one."

"Both are true, but not quite."

Vincent folded his arms and closed his eyes in thought. He could feel Tifa staring at him expectedly, and he made a small smile underneath his collar in spite of himself.

"…Thank goodness it's not Friday the 13th."

"Vincent!" she exclaimed at last. "I'm hoping you're not playing with me, now!"

"Perish the thought."

"Because if you are, I'm afraid I'm going to revoke certain privileges from you tonight."

"Rejoice, for I now have enough money to pay for my own drinks."

"Including Cid's tab, which he shared with you?"

"I am going to apologize right now for my lack of discretion tonight…"

Thunderous footsteps descended down the stairs, and Denzel and Marlene appeared on the ground floor with objects in their hands. Upon sight of him, Marlene then slowed down nearly to a halt and looked away bashfully, her item she quickly hid away behind her back.

It was Denzel who approached him first, respectfully and his head tilted up to make eye contact with him.

"Hello Vincent Valentine…um, sir." He mumbled the last word almost inaudibly and his ears blushed a fierce red. Vincent quirked a smile up, though Denzel wouldn't have seen it. The boy then presented a slim package towards him, wrapped up in brown paper and tied with string. It is small and thin, and looked to be some sort of accessory.

"Happy Birthday, Vince," said Tifa, and the two children repeated her words in a chorus.

He couldn't help making a small groan, but he accepted their blessings anyway. Marlene also presented forth her offering, though she looked down at her toes while mumbling, "Ha-Happy Birthday, um, Mr. Valentine."

She presented to him a drawing, a rather nice drawing for a seven-year old, of him in his red cape swiping at what appeared to be Deepground soldiers with his claw, judging by their uniforms, and also of Galian Beast breathing fire at objects.

"I deeply enjoy this, Marlene," he said appreciatively, while Tifa covered her face with her hand, though she smiled all the same.

It was by then that Cloud walked in from where the kitchen is and said, "Well Vincent, in case you haven't known by now. We're having a small party with you."

* * *

It was by ten o'clock when it was revealed who the culprit was, and by then the dishes were being cleared of dinner and the cake was sliced and eaten. Vincent let them sing for him, though he covered his face the whole time in unabashed embarrassment. It seemed that while most of his other feelings and reactions were a bit muted over the passage of time, personal shame and embarrassment for himself can hit him deeply and easily. He had reached his limit, however, when Denzel asked him how old he is today and his mouthful of ale nearly went down the wrong way. Tifa quickly amended the situation by saying that he is sensitive about his age, which just serves further reminder that he may as well be an old kook still playing up his youth.

"I thought that only girls don't like people asking how old they are," Denzel pouted, masking his confusion through false bravado.

All he got in return was a pointed look from Tifa and Cloud saying at last, "I think you and Marlene need to prepare for bed."

And when all their delaying and groaning is gotten over with, Shelke shepherded them up the stairs and the adults are left to their drinks and a calm quiet. Cloud collected the plates and cleared the table while Tifa and Vincent relocated all their drinks to the bar where it feels more appropriate. Tifa went behind the bar and pulled out a bottle of old wine from a cabinet hidden from Vincent's view and poured a glass for each of them. They all shared a toast when Cloud returned.

"To Vincent," said Tifa, and they all clinked glasses.

After a long sip, Vincent sighed and said quietly, "…If you must know, I think of myself as turning 30."

"You better watch out for your health, then. I hear that people don't bounce back as easily as when they're in their 20s," joked Tifa. She didn't miss the weight of his words.

"I heard that some people are complaining of a quarter-life crisis," contributed Cloud. "I just think that it's just a bunch of twenty-five year-olds who don't know what to do with their lives, especially when there's still reconstruction going on."

"And field work to be done," added Tifa. "Just trying to get the land around here arable could take a whole generation, but there's also need for land development around near Chocobo Farm."

"To get to the process of arability, it would take a concentration of about a decade of hard labor in which to bring nutrition back into the soil," said Shelke as she approached from the stairs. She climbed into the seat next to Vincent and planted her elbows on the bar as she leaned her chin into her palms. "Although the Lifestream does seem to resume its course in the area surrounding Midgar, its bounty is thinly spread and you can only see patches of fertility around the land in the form of weeds and dry grass."

Vincent reached for the wine bottle as Tifa handed a glass of mineral water for Shelke and topped himself and Cloud's off. "I recall in my time of discussion in getting farmlands started in the area between Midgar and Kalm. The one in charge of energy production one out of that, and that was… a long time ago. I can now see the product of that director's folly."

Cloud took of swallow of wine and said in a rough voice, "Look, Vincent, if the kids were a bit too nosy tonight…"

"They weren't. I try to be as accommodating as I could with answering them."

"But still…"

"It's all right, Cloud. As a Turk, I'm in good practice of diverting conversation away from what they really want." Vincent then made a wry smile that could only be seen now because he had forgone his cloak at the table. "Well. As an ex-Turk. Who knows what protocol is like now for them."

"It is sometimes difficult for me to answer their questions as well," said Shelke. "Much less, what it means for me to perform an SND."

"Hmm," was all that Vincent allowed. He remembered back when he signed on for the department, when it was just him and a handful of others, and all they really do was collect information as befits the title of their department. They asked for people with crack shots and good endurance, so they can defend the researchers in charge of Mako and of course, for Gast. They signed on the job because they believed in a dream, in Shin-ra's dream, and in thirty years that dream changed under a harsh, nightmarish reality that had thoroughly disappointed Vincent. He didn't doubt for a second that it disappointed Veld even more deeply.

"So," he said at last. "Who did Veld contact first?"

Tifa and Cloud looked away to observe different spots of their environment, an obvious delaying tactic.

"Well…" trailed Tifa. "I wouldn't say we were 'contacted…'"

"It was an accident…" mumbled Cloud.

Shelke dropped off from her seat to go to the kitchen.

Vincent looked at each of them, including the retreating Shelke, and considered. "….I think it was Tifa. Through Shin-ra."

Tifa smiled and looked up at him through her lashes. "I guess there are some benefits in allowing Reno and Rude to come here sometimes. It was actually both of us."

"I didn't think that Veld would bother trying to get to Cloud, seeing as you go all over the place," mused Vincent. "Then again, it would explain how you manage to bring this to me."

He looked back and tilted his chin at the table behind him, where there were a few packages on the table. Shelke slid out of her chair and went over to the pile, picking out a thin, wide package and bringing it over to them.

"You've only opened Denzel's present for you, as well as Tifa and Cloud's and mine," she said.

"I don't feel ready to open this one just yet." He tapped the edge of the present with a metal fingertip. "I am… apprehensive of what it might hold."

"And as for Cid Highwind's gift for you?"

"I didn't think I should open it in front of the children."

Shelke looked thoughtful at his statements, though still clearly not understanding, while Tifa and Cloud smiled into their drinks.

At the mention of the other gifts, Vincent leaned back slightly to pull out Denzel's out of one of his pockets and held it up for all to see.

"So am I to believe that he was inspired by what he saw on my handgun?" he asked. It was a key-chain, with long metal links and at the end is the Cloudy Wolf accessory that is pervasive around Seventh Heaven. The wolf head itself is about the size of a two gil coin, and appeared to be made out of pewter.

"It may not work for a handgun, much less as some sort of counter weight," said Cloud.

"Or you can, I don't know, actually put your keys on it," said Tifa. She began to stack some glasses into the dishwasher behind her and turned it on. "The symbol isn't something that we give out to anybody, so think of it as though you're part of the family."

"A sort of family heraldry then," said Vincent. The Cerberus necklace that he wore beneath his shirt felt heavy at the thought of it.

Cloud shrugged. "Nothing that fancy like that, but I guess you can say it like that."

Shelke swirled her drink thoughtfully, and said, "Going back to another point. Is this Veld a friend of yours?"

Vincent drained his drink quickly and said, "To put it lightly."

"It is curious that in my observances of past Shin-ra databases, there were very little salvageable reports from the time period that you were in, although there were files that noted when you turned in reports you've made personally, or those that have been made by Veld who was then a Turk operative."

"I wouldn't be surprised at the things Shin-ra tries to hide. Especially when it's about Nibelheim," said Tifa. She poured a fresh glass for Vincent, and he could see the way her knuckles turned white as she gripped the bottle.

"I think I remembered someone mentioning the Turks and about the director there when I was just an MP," said Cloud, directing away the tension. "All I heard was that he was really intimidating."

"More like he's ornery," Vincent said with a smile.

"He looked more stern to me," said Tifa, leaning forward on her elbows at the counter.

Vincent looked up in surprise. "So he did come here."

Tifa closed her eyes and remembered. "He was really direct. Asked about this place and me first. Then he name-dropped you and told me to get Cloud to pickup on this package, and when I asked why, he said it was for a birthday. Then he left."

"Won't be the last time," muttered Vincent.

"Didn't you see him?" asked Shelke.

"I did." And he didn't elaborate on it. He saw Veld at Cosmo Canyon talking to the new chief there. He could see that age didn't do much to change his outward appearance, but it was noticeable when they did talk. They talked as old men would do, and as old friends had been, and the gap of years between them was noticeable and wearisome. It was after he left the group, about three years ago at the Forgotten City, and within that displacement felt wandering the various countries and settlements did Vincent thought it best to stay back within his paradigm and to find the crystal cave.

Shelke, in an almost uncharacteristic move, placed her left elbow on the bar and leaned into her palm.

"When I saw Shalua, I thought I was seeing, well, I think my mother. Familiar, but a stranger's face. In my ten years gone, it was like a haze of time. Long and indeterminate. All I had known was what I was like as a child. I would have been a woman now, normally, but I don't really know what that means."

"You're the same age as Yuffie. There's really no correlation between age and maturity," said Tifa stoutly, trying to lighten the mood. Vincent and Cloud both scoffed at that.

Shelke made a small smile and said to Vincent, "Can I have a sip of your wine?"

"No, you're too you-" Vincent began, then quickly stopped himself.

Shelke then giggled, which was refreshingly youthful and very charming, while Tifa and Cloud laughed outright.

"You'd still be too young to drink legally, anyway," added Tifa, and this time Shelke started laughing.

"I think we're all too young for something," said Cloud. "We've started adulthood too soon."

Vincent grinned outright, winning and free of restraint. He concluded it must have been the wine. "Oh really? I would have thought that the inclusion of young teenage soldiers in Shin-ra and a young woman of a similar age being a mountain guide would be good practice into adulthood."

"Yeah well, just between all of us, five years gone was really strange for me," said Cloud quietly, though warmly. "But anytime I had thought about it before, I just get headaches. Now though, it just felt like one long dream, and all I've done was acting like an adult. Well, I guess I'm still a work in progress."

A prevailing silence followed after that, and as if in similar mind, all took a reflective drink. Tifa looked at the three in a feeling of alarm at the suddenly somber conversation and thinking very quickly on what to say following that.

"You know," she began slowly. "When I was thinking of going for a timeless feel for this place, I didn't really think it would reflect on the people that I know…like, some sort of time portal…"

Vincent made a short laugh.

"I can see it now, all three of us being what we aren't: a young child, an adult and an old man."

Tifa frowned. "I wouldn't say it like that, Vince."

"Don't worry Tifa,"assured Cloud. "It's fine if you're the only normal one here."

Tifa scoffed. "Uh, excuse me?"

"I like it when you treat me like a normal person, Tifa," said Shelke. "I feel more grounded."

Tifa then planted her hands on the table and looked each square in the eye. "Well then let me get it straight with all of you: we're all a bunch of weirdos here, so we may as well be normal. You," she pointed at Cloud, "I'm giving you slack because I'm trying to figure out this adult business alongside you, so don't go around thinking you're not pulling your weight. And you," she then moved her hand to Vincent, "are in our age group. We are timeless and mighty and full of potential. And Shelke," Tifa turned towards the young girl, who was looking up at her with big eyes, looking for all intent and purpose as though she's playing up her innocence. "You're ten for all that concerns me, so I'm not going to expect more from you than you can handle."

"Okay," mumbled Cloud, abashed.

"I would like to set it clear that I'm not dwelling negatively on myself," Vincent asserted. Tifa looked at him with a challenging look in hers, and he took it head on by looking straight her as he drank.

"I'm having so much fun here, that I sometimes forget about having ten years gone," said Shelke brightly.

"All of you are terrible and exhausting," Tifa said stoutly, her arms crossed and looking fed up, but grinning all the same. "I can't tell whether you're commiserating or angst-ing anymore!"

"We can't be both?" asked Cloud, all cheek. He quickly leaned back his head to avoid Tifa flicking her fingers at his face, grinning from ear to ear.

"I am also terrible at commiserating," added Vincent.

"To my understanding," began Shelke. "To angst would imply that there is a great conflict of emotions, such as anxiety or fear. I, however, am stating the facts and am content with myself in its truth."

"Don't talk back at me about anxieties and fears, Shelke," said Tifa. She walked away from the counter and around to join them at their stools. "Or else I'm going to mention things to Vincent about you at bedtime."

"That is confidential information!" exclaimed Shelke, turning her head around as Tifa walked past her and settled in a seat next to Cloud.

"Now I'm curious," said Vincent, sharing a sly look with Tifa. Shelke crossed her arms on the bar and laid her forehead on them, defeated.

Cloud drained his glass and slid off his seat. "I think I'll go turn in now. It's getting late. You, too, Shelke," he added.

Tifa turned around in her seat and said, "Well before you go Cloud, I was wondering where you're going to stay, Vincent?"

Vincent looked both at Tifa and Cloud before answering, "I was about to look for an inn until you called me."

"Well, why don't you stay here?" Tifa offered. "It gets a bit hairy at this time of night."

He gave her an incredulous look. "I appreciate your concern, but the nights are hardly dangerous for me."

"Oh, so you still got demon powers to help you out in a pinch?"

"Well…" he began. He reflected back on an earlier incident that no doubt Tifa and Cloud knew about, but what it meant for him now was inconclusive.

"And there's more strict laws against trigger-happy desperadoes defending themselves, even though the new night patrol is a bit understaffed."

"More like untrained and a bunch of bullies," said Cloud under his breath.

Vincent felt a hand placed on his left arm, and he saw Shelke looking up at him. "Please stay over. We can talk more in the morning."

He looked back at Tifa and said, "I suppose it's unanimous or at least agreeable. Is there an extra room or bed handy?"

"We have a spare pallet on a portable bed frame," said Cloud. "And it might be room enough to bunk in my room. I'll have to clear away some floor space, though."

"By the way, we did plan to hijack you for the night, so don't worry about feeling like you're imposing or something," added Tifa.

"What do you do when Barret comes over?" asked Vincent.

"Denzel gives up his bed and squeezes in with Cloud," answered Tifa. She placed a hand over her mouth and considered a bit more. "I guess it would be okay to go for Cloud's room."

Before Vincent could answer, Shelke piped up and said, "Our room has a larger bed than Cloud's, sizable enough to include Vincent Valentine to sleep alongside us. That way, it may be more comfortable to have him room with us than to have him sleep uncomfortably on the floor."

Tifa laughed shortly under her breath, while Cloud looks slightly disgruntled. "Well, that's certainly a feasible option. I'll put it under consideration." She shared a look with Cloud in which he merely rolled his eyes.

"It… may not be appropriate, Shelke," was all that Vincent really say to it.

Shelke immediately moved on to another point. "Ah, then I think I know what could be done that is appropriate."

She gave a moment's thought to her suggestion, which then prompted questioning looks shared between the adults as they all wondered what is deemed appropriate in Shelke's perspective.

She said at last, "I propose that, considering the presented options of Tifa's room and Cloud's room, that it is more sensible for me stay in Cloud's room for the night since it is so small, and for the adults to be in Tifa's room."

Stunned silence. Shelke continued, "I am under the impression that it would be more socially appropriate for the adults to be in the same room together, and for me to not disturb that junction. It may also be conceivable to make the bed larger by setting the raised pallet against the edge of the bed."

Tifa then said in a small voice, "Are you saying we should all share a bed?"

"Indeed. If you like, I can reconstruct what I am thinking of for you." And without further ado, Shelke slid off of her seat and walked briskly up the stairs.

When Shelke is out of his field of vision, Vincent looked back at both Tifa and Cloud, the former frozen in shock and the other non-plussed.

Cloud broke the moment and shocked them both by saying, "I am okay with this arrangement."

"Hah?!" exclaimed Tifa.

Cloud just gave her a knowing look and smile and went upstairs following Shelke, leaving Vincent and Tifa alone in the bar. They looked at each other, Tifa wide-eyed and shocked and he himself surprised at the turn of events. He could see her turning red in the face, flushing up from the neck to her ears and finally her cheeks. Vincent made a smile at her, which made her look even more flustered, he got up from his stool and walked over to table where his packages were.

"Of all the nights I would have thought that it would turn out like this, my birthday isn't really one of them," he said over his shoulder. He picked over at his presents, few and significant as they were, and saw in the reflection of napkin holder of Tifa with her hands on her head and tugging at her hair in exasperation.

"Of all the times for Shelke to develop a sense of humor…" she sighed.

Vincent examined a small box, helpfully labeled to be from Shelke, and began to unwrap it. "I believe she was quite serious."

"Yeah well, I think I know why she said it, but it's definitely not to what Cloud is suggesting," Tifa huffed, and he heard her footsteps approaching him from behind, almost as though she was stomping in frustration. "And Cloud shouldn't go around joking like that when he sounds so serious. It'd confuse Shelke and the kids…"

Vincent tossed the wrapping aside and examined the bauble, holding it up to the light to examine its shine. "I think you should give her more credit, Tifa. She does, after all, have the ability to access memories from the network by whoever has done so."

Tifa stood next to his side and looked at the object in his hand as he brought it down to eye level. "I'm going to pretend that it's just her being precocious, and not trying to imitate past experiences of others. So what's this?"

Vincent turned the materia in his hand, the size of a large marble and a deep purple such as the like of imperials of old when his father showed him illuminated manuscripts.

"It appears to be… a newborn materia. Not offensive magic, but…" He gave it a squeeze and let the concentrated mako activate in his palm and whisper its purpose in his mind. "It helps by augmenting your body. I believe it is for…" he closed his eyes in concentration, feeling its magic coursing through his limbs, his muscles, his sensitivities. "Endurance… and strength. Hmm. Shelke knew that I could use those. How thoughtful."

He looked down at Tifa by his side, where he could see the dark crown of her head, her cheeks and the long lashes of her eyes as she looked at the materia in his hand. He relaxed his grip and shook a little as the magic ebbed away from his body.

"I guess she got it from the WRO," murmured Tifa. "She started going there a little bit more each week, though I didn't think that she'd be utilizing materia there. Or maybe she borrowed one of ours and started mastering it to make a new one."

Vincent made an assenting sound and placed the materia in his pants pocket. He picked up Tifa's present for him, a square packaged that could fit the palm of his hand. He unwrapped it and saw a covered box which he opened. Resting in a velvet setting is a gold watch, its shine brilliant under the lamplight, and with a handsome chain to go with it.

He breathed out a single, "…Goodness."

Tifa shifted weight from one foot to the next and clasped her hands in front of her.

"Yeah well, I just thought that now that you've rejoined society, you'd start keeping track of time."

Vincent snorted quietly through his nose and said, almost chidingly, "I am never late. And my cell phone has a clock, which I appreciate very much. But…" he held up the pocket watch in the light and watched it twirl in the air. He placed it in his palm and opened the hatch, its face frozen in time.

"I hope I remember how to do it right. The last time I had one was, well…" he trailed off into retrospect. He fiddled with the fob and gradually, through experimenting, he was able to regain the memory he had in handling one. He glanced at a clock on the wall, affixed the time in the watch, and closed it.

He breathed deeply, a sigh that was decades old. "…The last time I had a watch like this was when my father gave me his, before I left for Midgar."

He turned it over both ways, looking over it, and remembered the weight and feel of the watch he had before, and an inexplicable sense of loss when he wondered where it might be now.

"Vincent…" Tifa said softly, but couldn't continue, her voice disappearing under the significance of his confession.

"…It looks about like it. And it was really one of his older watches that he gave me, as he always seems to misplace some. Probably had one the day he died," he murmured, loud enough for only Tifa to hear. He hooked the watch-end of the chain to his pants loop and placed it in the pocket opposite of where he placed Shelke's materia. "Thank you, Tifa. I couldn't imagine the expense in getting this."

He smiled warmly down at her, and she was for a moment, at a loss for words. She looked away shyly and said, "I found it at an antique shop in Kalm, when I was there with Marlene and Barret a while back. I didn't think of your birthday then, but perhaps for Winter Solstice. But, well, it looked really well-cared for, and I got a good deal for it. It's um, well… I don't know what else to say, really. I didn't think it would resonate so well with you."

"Don't worry. It's a good reminder, not a sad one."

"Oh, that's good."

"Well… a little sad. But I got over my loss of material possessions."

"I see…"

"…About a half a year ago."

Tifa smiled broadly at that, and played with her fingers nervously. She looked around, face a little flushed, and rested her eyes on the other presents.

"Well, um, Cloud got you something, too. It's something that he found when he was in Junon and thought that he would give it to you, too. Well, I mentioned Winter Solstice, right? So it was going to be for that, but since it's your birthday today…"

She reached for the package, more sizable than the one she gave for him, and handed it to Vincent. He unwrapped it and saw that it was a book. Fully uncovered reveals The Early Photographs of Garfield H. Shin-Ra and on cover was a black and white image of the president himself, a sturdy man clean-shaven and almost honest-looking. He flipped through the glossy pages and saw while perusing the various growth of Shin-ra until finally it reached the color photographs towards the end. He stopped when he Shin-ra older, looking so much like a different person than when he remembered. His eyes looked more untrustworthy, and hardened. He closed the book, and closed his eyes, memories invoked and nearly spilling out of him.

Tifa looked at him through shuttered eyes and said almost despondently, "I remembered those times. There were pictures of Nibelheim in there. To think, I still remembered how much I liked the scientists there when some of them taught at the schoolhouse in town. I wondered now, how deeply they were involved in their work…"

Vincent sighed silently and said, "It's still good to remember, Tifa. It was thoughtful of Cloud."

"Good," she sounded in almost forceful cheer. "I was worried that it would just make you disgruntled."

"I'm surprised that he would bother to get it."

"I think it resonated with Cloud the same way."

He looked at her closely, at how he mentioned Cloud and when she talked about him now that they were alone and not surrounded by their social group. She looked through the other gifts and got one from near the edge of the table.

"Now, I hope you were joking when you mentioned Cid's present might be inappropriate-"

"I wonder if you were going to suggest that it would be you sharing a room with Cloud, and that I would platonically bunk with Shelke," he said suddenly.

Tifa opened and closed her mouth in shock and stammered. "Well, I, uh, um…"

"And while it is endearing of how Shelke seems to be attached to me, as you've said before: she's ten."

Tifa raised a finger in objection. "I-I can perfectly say for certain that I did not think that way and that I just thought it was really, really cute of her."

He smirked at her reaction and smiled more broadly as she appeared more indignant. He walked closer to her to get into her personal space, and while she was very much surprised at the gesture, she appeared to find it in her to hold her ground and glare up at him in a flustered manner.

"Then we are all sharing sleeping quarters in your room?"

She crossed her arms tightly, and he noticed how hard she was gripping her arms and how white the knuckles, as she said defiantly, "I'm- I'm eventually going to go up there and straighten it out with Shelke that, well, that-"

"Shall I step aside and not intrude into your privacy?"

"Let me- let me finish a bit. Well, how should I say it…" Tifa took a deep breath and looked at him square in the eye. The sudden seriousness in her eyes stopped the teasing in his expression and he regarded her seriously.

"The reason why I thought it would be arranged for you to be with Cloud in his room was more for… his consideration." She blushed deeply at the last word and closed her eyes in silent mortification. He could only look at her in surprise.

"…I hope you're not expecting me to do act on it," was all he could come up with.

She shook her head vehemently. "No no no! I'm not trying to force something, it's just, well, more like giving an opportunity for um, oh jeez, I think I must have been assuming too much, but sometimes it was the way you two talked together that I thought that, well, maybe Cloud was, um… comfortable with you and I thought it would be a good idea that it would develop into… something," she ended lamely.

He could only look at her blankly, but inside he was sniggering unpleasantly; she really doesn't know what it was that he and Cloud would talk about when they were together. He decided to play it cool and tested the water.

"I was under the impression that you two were committed to each other."

Tifa looked away sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, well, to be honest I did think that way, but I didn't want to force it on him and he already knows how I feel about him. It didn't really develop, so I didn't really bring it up again. You know, about what kind of relationship we have." She looked up at him with wide eyes and said suddenly, "Well, if you're not really thinking of Cloud as, well, as what I'm assuming then I really should apologize, I'm really not trying to force something between you two if it's really not the case. I mean, talk about jumping to conclusions right? I hope you're not too sensitive about it…"

"No, no, I'm actually quite flattered." He couldn't help but smile at her, though he made it to be as reassuring as possible to mask his inner triumph.

"Oh good," she sighed in relief. "Because, well, not to say less about me or something, but I really do want Cloud to have something positive in his life after all that has happened. I mean, in his personal life. And while I thought I could provide that, and I sorta hoped that I could, you know," she murmured quietly to herself, and then continued with a refreshing look on her face that made his heart skip a beat. "I just really want to think that I could help him find personal happiness. Sorry I jumped the gun there on you. Oops, bad pun."

"Not too bad of one." He gave her a sly sidelong glance and asked, "So tell me, now that we're onto personal happiness."

"Oh no," groaned Tifa.

"Have you also considered having someone special in your life?"

She lightly punched him out of embarrassment and cringed outwardly, "Oh, I guess I made an opening for myself, didn't I?"

"Is there?" he found himself almost giddy as well at the feeling of being able to move in for a kill. He honestly hadn't felt that way in a very long time, and he attributed to this sudden freedom of restraint as having emerged from the Lifestream after Omega, feeling for the first time in a long time whole and in pace with time within his body.

"Well," she placed a hand on her forehead and looked up at him through her eyelashes and bangs. She grinned suddenly and giggled.

"I'll raise the stakes," he offered. "You tell me if there is one, and I shan't judge you for I would be the last person to judge someone based on personal preferences. I have also seen the very lowest of preferences for someone's significant other, mind you. And I will tell you mine."

"You have someone in mind?" she asked, incredulous.

"To be honest, for quite some time. In fact, I can clearly say that it had been quite a long time coming."

Piqued, she took a deep breath and said shyly, "Don't take it in too bad of a way…"

Here we go, thought Vincent.

"But I've, um, sorta considered you, for a bit. Well, I mean, I am attracted to you. And don't go around asking for why," she covered her face with her hands momentarily, and said between her fingers, "I'm not really thinking straight enough to properly tell you."

He smiled broadly at her, which seemed to stun her for a bit, and he leaned down so that he could whisper in her ear, "Thank you, Tifa."

"Oh, well…" she breathed.

"And as for me, I did also think of you that way. That, and more."

She gasped sharply, and turned his head to face her directly. She looked at him with eyes big and round, and he thought he could see down into the depths. He reached up with his right hand to cup the side of her head. He could feel the heat of her blush and fast pulse on her neck where his little finger had touched gently, and he himself felt a flush rising up his neck. She leaned closer to him, hands on his shoulders, and emboldened he bent down to her. He thought about going straight for the lips, which would be something that he would have done when he was younger- when he was 26? 25? Although he lived through 3 years since waking up as a 27-year old in what is essentially an old man's age, he physically felt more like 28 than a 30 year old- he instead moved and placed his lips near the corner of her mouth.

He pulled back, gauging her reaction and saw hope in her eyes. She took initiative and returned the gesture by placing her left hand on the side of his neck and, on tiptoes, pulled him down for her to kiss his left cheek.

She dropped away and looked up with an honest look that was unwavering despite the deep pink across her face. He placed his left arm around her waist and tugged her flush to his body. He quickly bent down, his hand tilting her face up, and kissed her lightly on the lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought herself up to kiss him more fully, and at her urging he deepened it and kissed her more ardently.

She was the first to break their kiss, moving her lips aside so that he got her cheek instead. She breathed a shaky sigh and pulled away with her hand on his left cheek. He smiled down at her, feeling warm and content with himself, and she in turn smiled sweetly. He almost didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Wow, Vince," Tifa said at last. "I don't think I've been kissed like that before."

"Hmm, I would imagine that there have been offers to kiss a pretty girl like yourself."

She turned away coquettishly, her hands on her hips, and said, "Don't you be thinking that I would just give away some to anybody." She glanced at him sideways and added quietly, "Only to the ones that I like."

He placed a hand on her arm and tugged her towards him, which she obliged. She reached up on tiptoes to kiss his lips and he held her close to him to whisper, "Now I have to ask: do you still feel the same way towards Cloud?"

She thought for a moment and said, "I don't think I could get over those feelings that easily, you know what I mean?"

"I know," he said, sympathizing.

"I, um, hope that's not something you're going to dwell on, are you?"

Vincent considered his words very carefully and began slowly, "I… well, I must admit something to you, Tifa. And I don't want to make it as though I'm forcing you."

She pulled away and said to him in a stern voice, "I'll just let you know at once that if there's something that I really don't like, I'd pull away at once. With as little cost to personal feelings, just so you know."

"Good. Because this may shock you." This time, he couldn't help from smiling the kind of smile that was about to reveal a particularly jarring secret. "Now, would you like to know what it is that Cloud and I like to talk about?"

"What, me?" she asked quickly. He had to admit, she was actually very good at how accurate her conclusions are. Case in point…

"Quite. And also, you were right about one thing, Tifa…" and it was really exciting to see her eyes then widening in realization. "About Cloud and I…" he continued slowly, and her mouth opened in surprised and he resisted the urge to kiss it in his impending excitement over this truth bomb.

"…Oh," she uttered, her breath shaking.

"And I'm going to add to that by saying that we both felt the same about you, as you would about us."

"OH," her voice an octave higher now.

"And to further exemplify what I mean… speak of the devil." Vincent looked up away from Tifa and at the person standing at the landing of the stairs. Before Tifa had a chance to turn around to assess what it was that Vincent Valentine was looking at, and also to assess her own judgment, Cloud Strife quickly walked up to her side and pulled her into a side-hug.

"Hey Tifa," he greeted, in the most straightforward voice as he could have mustered, and have successfully forced himself to muster, and continued, "First of all, what I said before I went up wasn't a joke. Second, Shelke is already settled into my room, so that's that. And finally, the shower is free right now, so if anyone wants to use it now, feel free to do so."

"I'll go first," offered Vincent, and without further ado he walked briskly towards the stairs. Tifa was nearly aghast when he stopped at the landing, turned around, and pulled out Shelke's materia and grinned suggestively. She could only look up at Cloud, almost beseeching him to either stop it as a very successful charade or to confirm for certain that this was all spoken in truth.

To his credit, he looked bashful as he said to her in a low voice, "Um, sorry to spring this suddenly on you. It was just… kinda hard to really say it without… well, without me messing up."

"Seriously?" she uttered, and she stood by that claim.

"Yeah," he breathed out. "So um, I understand that we need to talk this out a bit more but, um, I wouldn't blame you if you really want out to, um, to think about this…"

Unlike Cloud, Tifa had enough clarity of mind and sharpness of wit to go over very complicated social situations and try to find the best way to go forward or to smooth conflicts. As Cloud was explaining himself, she weighed her options, gone over the very fast-paced chain of events, and decided quite firmly, though with slight trepidation in her voice as is understandable in her situation:

"Let's go upstairs."


End file.
